graham



2 Shet-Sheet 1.

M A .H A R G APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING- TIGKE'TS FROM TICK-ET PRINTIBTGOR NUMBERIN'G MACHINES.

No.- 381,126. {Patented Apr; 1'7. "1888 N PETERS. Photo-Lithographer, Wnhinglnn. DTC,

(No Model.) v

' GRAHAIVI.

APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING TICKETS FROM TICKET PRINTING OR "NUMBERING MACHINES.

2 Sheets-Sheet 'Y No. 381,126; :PatentedApr. 1 7; 1 8881.

'1 UNITED STATE PATENTQOFFICEQ- JOHN GRAHAM, on BARNSBUBY, oonn rvor Mibnnnsnx, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING TICKETS FROM TICKET PRINTING QR NUMBERING MACHlNESt SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. -38 1,i25, dated April 17, 18 88. Application filed November 14, 1881. Serial No. 255,078. 1N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN GRAHAM,.a subject of theQueen of Great Britain, and resid-' ing at 35 Bride Street, Barnsbury, in the county of Middlesex, England, railway-ticket printer, have invented certain new or Improved Apparatus for Receiving Tickets from Ticket Printing or N umbering'and other Similar Machincry, of which the following is a specification.

In the machinery usuallyfemployed for the printing, numbering, &c., of railway-tickets, cards, and the like, the said tickets or other similar articles are finally deposited in a long receiving tube or box, which is detached from the machine as soon as it is full, or nearly so, in order that the finished tickets may be removed therefrom; This periodical removal of the receiving-tube necessitates in some cases the stoppage ofthe machine, and in' others the arrangements by whichthestppage of the machine is obviated are not satisfactory; and the object of my present invention is to provide more perfect arrangements forobviating the necessity of stopping the ma chines when tickets are being removed therefrom. r I '1" In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a receiving tube or box constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan, of same; and Fig. 4, a'horizontal section at line as wofFigL' r I The receiving tube. or box is permanently attached to the machine, and consists of two sides, A A, and a back, A, as shown clearly in the horizontal section, Fig. 4, the front or one side being open, so as to allow of the pe--.

riodical removal of the tickets from the tube or box without removing the latter from the machine, as will be hereinafter explained. A block or false bottom, 13, of hard wood or other suitable material,is arranged to slide freely up anddown in the tube orbox, being guided therein by friction-rollers 0, taking into slots or grooves D, formed in the sides thereof, or by other suitable means. The said block B may also be guided by means of rods E, fixed by brackets or otherwise to the sides A of the tube or box, such guide-rodsE passing through holes in the plate F, secured to the bottom of the block B. The sliding block B is constantly drawn upward toward the inlet end of the tube upper ends to arms fixed to the sidesof the tube or box and at their lower ends to the plateF. If desired,*the arms to which the upperends of the springs G are attachedmay befmade' adjustable vertically to enable the tension of the said springs G to be varied as 6o or pressed'upwardby anyothersuitablemeans,

may be required. The block B maybef'drawn if preferred; It is provided with a recess or hollow, H, on its upper face, to allow ofthe,

introduction of the finger-of the operative, for

therpurposelhereinafter explained. r v e f At asuitable point on the tube or box is fitted or box by means of springs G, securedat'their anautomatic spring-latch, I, having aiblade,

1, adapted ,to enter the tube or,box and to in- 'tercept the 'furth'errfall of tickets onto. the slid l I Outward by 5 that when released I I ingblock B whenrequir'ed. This spring-latch I turns on acenter, J, an'd-is'constantl y pressed it flies out intothepositioushown in dotted lines in Fig.3, its rear end being. preferably so I shaped as'to come against 'theside ofthebox from being thrownout a certain'position. g 7

When the latch I,with its blade I, is closed into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3,

or other'stop to prevent the latch and blade by the spring K beyond a a pinor projection, L, on it takes into a hole orbehind a-catch in'or on the fixed piece'M, I

or is otherwise held in that position until re;

leased in the manner hereinafter explained. T In the drawings the block B is shown approximately in the position it would occupy just prior to the box being emptied by theop. erative, the spring-latch I having been closed,-

so as to intercept the'further supply of tickets r v the under side of the spring-latchI and the J to the tube.- The space in the tube between upper side of the block B would, of course, be

occupied by tickets 5 but, for the sake of clearness, these are not shown inthe drawings.

The action of the improvedapparatnsisas follows:. The latch I is released, so as to stand in the position indicated by dotted linesin I I Fig. 3," and the tickets, cards, orother similar a objects are fed intothe upper'end of th'e'tube or box, as usual, from the printing or numbering gradually forced down by them againstthe resistance of the springs G, or of the other means loo 5 mechanism, andthe block-or false bottom Bis upward. Before the block B has reached the lower end of the tube or box the operator places his finger in the recess or hollow H on the block and forces the latter,with the tickets on it, farther down the tube or box, and at the same time closes the latch I and its blade I into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, so thatthe further fall of tickets beyond the said blade is intercepted, space having been provided for the reception of tickets above the blade by the depression of the block B and tickets thereon by the operative, as above described. The tickets between the top face of the block B and the under side of the blade I are then removed by the operative, and the block B is immediately drawn upward by the springs G, in readiness to receive further tickets. When the block B is nearing its'upper position, a pin or projection, N, on it strikes the spring-latch I, disengaging its pin or projection L from the hole or catch in the piece M, and the said latch I, with its blade I, flies open under the action of the spring K into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,'withdrawing the blade I from the tube or box, so as to allow the tickets which have accumulated above it while those below it were being removed to descend onto-the block B, which is again pressed down by them as before, and the operations are repeated.

In order to prevent the block B from striking the latch I and blade I with too great force when drawn upward by the springs G, and also to prevent the rebound of the said block, a check or brake spring, 0, is secured to the back of the tube or box, or otherwise, so as to press against the block B as it rises and to bring it gradually to rest by the friction thereby produced. By these arrangements the printing or numbering or other similar machine may be allowed to work continuously without danger, the spacein the tube or box above the latch I being made of sufficient depth to receive all the tickets or other objects printed or numbered during the time those below the saidlatch are being removed.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire to have it understood that I make no claim, generally, to a receiving tube or box so arranged that the printing, numbering, or other machine can be allowed to continue working while the tickets or other articles accumulated in the lower portion of such tube or box are being removed, as I-am aware that an arrangement in which the lower part of the tube or box with the tickets therein may be removed and emptied while the machine is still working is already in use; but

I declare that what 'I do claim is- 1. In a railway ticket printing or numbering or other similar machine, the fixed receiving tube or box open in front or at one side,

and having a block or false bottom, B, sliding therein, and drawn or pressed constantly to- V ward the upper end thereof by means of springs G or other suitable devices, and a spring-actuated latch, I, and blade 1', constructed, arranged, and operating as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed.

2. I'he combination, with the receiving tube or box of arailway-ticket printing or number ing or other similar'machine, of the latch I, pro vided with ablade, I, which serves, when closed, to prevent the descent of the tickets or other similar articles delivered by the machine while those below are being removed, and which is liberated automatically by the ascent of the block or false bottom B, and opened by the spring K, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN GRAHAM.

\Vitnesses:

STEPHEN EDWARD GUNYON,

115 Cannon Street, London. WILLIAM ANDERSON SMITH,

117 Stoke Newington Road, London. 

